Falling Rain
by SilverSoks
Summary: He doesn't care. He doesn't care for the way she grins, the way she faces him like no one else dared to do. He is the great Sesshomaru; he cares for no one.
1. Chapter 1

Falling Rain

This is my first fanfic guys, though I have been reading them for a couple years.

I do not own InuYasha or any of the characters used. I make no profit from this story.

Falling Rain Chapter One

He doesn't care. He doesn't care for the way she grins, the way she faces him like no one else dared to do. He doesn't care about his brother constantly breaking her spirit, and yet she smiles and says she is fine. He doesn't care about how his beast is howling in its cage, begging that they make that smile true. He is the great Sesshomaru; he cares for no one.

That holds true even now, as she is kneeling on the ground before him. Her clothes and soaked through; or that which is left of them. He stares at the rags nearly falling off her shoulders, the shaking hands trying to hold the pieces to her body as if a sort of lifeline. He blinks, some part of himself wishing that the cloth would disappear completely and the other part wanting to wrap himself up around her so no one else could lay eyes to her pain.

Though, it wasn't like he cared. It wasn't as if the scars on her legs, the deeper ones on her hips, would make his mind waver. It wasn't like the pain and suffering in her eyes, her deep, deep blue eyes, was the cause of his heart suddenly sinking to his toes. He didn't care about the way her body shuddered from the cold rain sinking into her torn body.

He didn't care about the rain soaking into his knee as he kneeled in front of her, didn't care about how he could not tell the tears from rain drops as he brushed them from her face. He certainly did not care about the tiny whimper that left her lips, almost as if pleading him to end it all.

He ran his eyes over her once more; from her bare feet that were bruised and the one ankle that appeared swollen to the ripped up skirt that hang loosely on her equally ripped up hips, to the angry red marks covering her from abdomen to neck, glancing back down to her hands clutching the green and white cloth to her heaving chest.

And finally, finally, to her face. A slight frown marred his mouth as he stared at the top of her head, frowning deeper when she didn't even bother to struggle with his fingers now gripping her bruised chin lightly, tipping her face up to his own. He could feel her shaky intake of breath, in and out, as she stared with one eye up into his own; the other swollen over and purple. That one eye however, that stared blankly up at his own, was no longer filled with the bright, defiant blue that caught his breath so many times before. It was dull and lifeless, the spark long ripped from the depths of her very soul that was bared so freely before.

His eyes moved over the gashes on her temple and cheeks, over the split bottom lip that even now pouted out, begging to be sucked on.

He shook those thoughts away roughly, focusing his emotionless gaze directly at her. They stared at one another for a moment, before he stood abruptly; causing the girl to flinch in the tiniest of movements. Pausing to process the action for only a moment, Sesshomaru took off his outer haori and draped it over the small human below him. After securing the clothing with his obi around her waist, he lifted the little miko into his arms, something that would have been difficult only months prior.

~FlashBack~

It was done. Naraku was defeated, Kikyo was at rest, and everyone made it out with their lives; even if they had some injuries it was nothing life threatening.

Sesshomaru stood to the side, eyes following the miko as she hugged her friends, tears of happiness being shared among the group. He met eyes with his brother who also stood off to the side, greeting his nod with one of his own. A small noise dragged his attention forwards, then down as he gazed upon the human in front of him. She moved from foot to foot, the only sign of her nervousness as she met his strong stare with one of her own. She bowed to him slowly, rising up to meet his eyes once more with a smile gracing her lips.

"Thank you, Sesshomaru-Sama, for everything you have done. I would like to repay you, if you would be so kind as to accept." One of his slender eyebrows rose at this.

"I have done nothing to which you need repay, girl, however it would be rude of this one to not accept." His voice held no emotion, though he was quite curious as to what this small human had to offer a demon lord such as himself.

Her smile brightened the moment he had accepted, and she quickly reached for his arm, stopping right before they touched, as if in second thought. Her blue pools stared up at him once again, and he merely nodded his head; understanding her request to touch him.

His eyes widened only slightly when she moved her hands under his sleeve, closing her eyes in concentration as she moved her hands gently over the muscles adorning his bicep, triceps, and then down to his forearm where she traced his veins lightly. She traced every bone on the back of his hand, his palm, and then his long fingers one by one.

When she opened her eyes once more, she trained them on his wrist, memorizing the markings and their placement on his skin. After she nodded her head to herself, she moved to stand by his left side, watching his face while her hands moved up ever so slowly until they touched the stump of his arm. He jerked away slightly, opening his mouth to demand an explanation, however the pleading in her eyes made him stop. He gazed down his nose at her suspiciously, not quite so happy to be in this position with her touching his one mark of weakness; especially because it was _her_.

"This might tingle a little," she murmured quietly to him, already closing her eyes and grasping the scared stump softly, "but please stay still."

He stayed quiet, like always, only letting out a small gasp when he felt what she had called a 'tingle'. It was like a flame moving through his flesh, though there was no pain. He forced himself to watch as her hands moved down his sleeve, the heat following, until her hands emerged. When he saw and felt what they were grasping, Sesshomaru felt he could only stare. Looking up quickly at other pairs of gasps, he noticed her friends had the same reaction to this gift.

She squeezed his newly formed hand once before letting go, staring at him with a hopeful and giddy expression as he raised the new appendage to his eyes, gaze drifting over the muscles, veins, and even the markings that were identical to his other arm. She even had his claws sharpened to perfection, he noted, as he closed his hand into a gentle fist to where he could feel the sharpness pricking his palm.

"Soo…Uhm…Does everything feel, uh, good?" She was nervous as she spoke; he could hear it in her voice. Moving his arm down, he met her eyes with his own, allowing them to soften from their hard amber into a light gold.

"Everything is as it should be, Miko. This one gives you his greatest thanks for such a gift; one that was not deserved."

At his words she scoffed, staring up at him with slight annoyance in her eyes.

"Sesshomaru-Sama, you helped us defeat the one being that kept us from being whole again; it is only fair that you be whole too."

With those last words, and a small grin that made his pulse jump, she was turned from him and gone running back to her friends, only turning once more to wave him off. He returned the gesture with a small incline of his head, before he too set off towards his companions. Companions who no doubt sat in his castle to the west, waiting eagerly for his return and the tale of his mighty defeat of the evil being, Naraku.

~End FlashBack~

When he had returned to his castle Sesshomaru had found that his new arm was exactly as his other, both in strength and demon abilities. The little miko had thought of everything to make his arm perfect, and now here he was; clutching said miko to his chest as she shivered from the rain pelting down onto them.

She seemed to no longer care who held her as she curled into his chest and clutched the fabric there. Her face was tucked down into the collar of his haori, hiding most of her face from view.

As he turned towards his castle, taking off in a run to get them both dry as soon as possible, he had to bring his mind back again and again to one thought.

This was merely for his own amusement; he was Lord Sesshomaru, and he did _not_ care about this girl.


	2. Chapter 2

_**AN: OH MY GOD GUYS. I am so very sorry for the late update! After the great feedback I was getting I tried to get this out earlier, but there was a family emergency that made it impossible for a couple days and then I was struck with many-a-projects to do all at once. I tried to make this one longer than the last for you. **_

_**Sorry lovelies. **_

_**-Silver**_

**I do not own InuYasha or any of the characters used. I make no profit from this story, only feels.**

**WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS A GRAPHIC RAPE SCENE, IF YOU ARE UNCORMFORTABLE WITH SUCH; DO NOT READ THE SECTION MARKED OFF**

Falling Rain Chapter Two

Kagome could feel herself growing weaker, but she forced herself to continue moving. Her legs burned, her sides screamed in pain, and it was as if every cut into her skin was pulsing and whispering its existence into her mind; as if she wasn't already feeling them with every movement. She gripped what was left of her uniform to her body, hoping to keep _some_ form of dignity while she stumbled almost naked through the dark forest.

Why had this happened to her? What had she done wrong? Kagome was certain that she had done as he wanted, yet he had tortured her anyways. She had thought it would be different.

~FlashBack~

Kagome was walking leisurely towards the village, carrying a small black backpack in place of her hideous yellow monster. She had no need for such a big bag now that Naraku was gone, since she stayed in the village permanently. She had just come back from her home, once again thanking whatever Kami kept the well working for her every time.

Humming softly to herself, Kagome's mind was busy on the one person who always plagued her thoughts; InuYasha. She still could not believe that he had come to her so willingly after Kikyo had passed. Every time he smiled so gently at her, she still half expected to wake up from a dream only to find herself locked in the future and forever torn from the man she loved so dearly.

However InuYasha was always there with Kagome in their bed, grinning and playing with her hair, when she woke up every morning. They still had not done anything serious yet; both were too shy for such a big step so soon. Plus, they had agreed that they felt comfortable with where their relationship was at the moment, and so neither wanted to ruin that feeling.

Kagome was brought out of her musings when suddenly an orange ball of fur was thrust into her face. Rocking back slightly before catching her balance, Kagome smiled and reached up to hug the little kit that was snuggling into her shoulder.

"Hey Shippou, did you miss me? You better have been good while I was gone." Kagome laughed to herself mentally and tried to keep her face serious as the little kitsune pulled back and stared into her eyes, his own wide and innocent.

"Of course I was good, Kagome! I am _always_ good." Shippou smiled up at his mother-figure and hugged her once more before climbing up to sit on her shoulder.

"So, is tonight the night Kagome? The one you told me about before you left?" There was a small hint of excitement in his voice, though Kagome could tell he was trying to supress it in case of listening ears.

"Yes Shippou, tonight is the very special night that I told you about. Did you do your job like I asked you to?" The kit nodded once and held too thumbs up, grinning widely like he always did.

"Yeah, Sango and Miroku are ready to leave when we get to the village. The three of us are going to visit the graves of Sango's family now that those two are getting married. InuYasha thinks it was Miroku's idea to go, to say prayer to Sango's father before the wedding."

She giggled and ruffled the hair on top of Shippou's head. "Good, you did a great job sweetie." Shippou blushed at the nickname but puffed out his chest in pride all the same.

Kagome felt her heart speed up a little when they saw the village in the distance. Tonight she had planned to remove the beads around InuYasha's neck, showing the ultimate trust she had in him which she was sure would please the demon side in him. After all, dogs were known for their loyalty and immense trust.

She had asked Shippou to let Sango and Miroku know about the plan, and see if they could come up with an excuse to leave the village. Kagome knew that if they stayed there then InuYasha would never show how happy or excited he was.

Kagome could see Sango and Miroku in the distance now, both waving and smiling knowingly. She waved back and ran to greet them, laughing with Shippou as they took off. He had always loved when Kagome ran with him on her shoulder; said it made him feel like he was flying.

When they reached the pair Shippou immediately jumped from Kagome's shoulder to Miroku's. The monk did not even twitch as the kit landed not so gracefully, instead smiling at Kagome and opening his arms for a hug, which she happily ran into. Miroku had stopped his groping ever since he and Sango finally confessed to one another, so now Kagome never had to hesitate around him.

After whispering some not so innocent remarks into Kagome's ear, causing her to blush brightly and slap his arm, Miroku let go of the small miko and watched as she nearly ran to Sango, embracing the slayer the same way she had with him.

The smile that had been on Miroku's face turned into a grin as Sango tuned to him with an agitated look. Kagome must have repeated what he had suggested to her about tonight. Apparently, Sango did not find Kagome's embarrassment to be nearly as funny as he found it.

Finally all three had said goodbye to Kagome and headed off towards the old Demon Slayers' village, leaving Kagome waving them off until they disappeared into the trees. Checking her watch, Kagome breathed out a nervous sigh. It was almost 6pm, perfect timing for her to go find InuYasha.

Kagome found him right where she thought he would be; laying on the roof of their hut and staring up into the night. His ears twitched and swiveled in her direction as she approached, before he turned his head to look down at her. Kagome smiled and waved up to him, and InuYasha replied with his own smile before jumping down to meet her.

"Hey Kagome," he stopped to sniff the air a moment before crossing his arms, "So ya already saw the others, huh? I thought you might miss 'em."

Kagome moved to his side and nodded. "Yeah, I got here just as they were leaving, lucky timing I guess." She then moved into their hut, turning her head to make sure he was following. Once inside Kagome sighed in bliss, feeling the warmth of the fire in the middle of the room seeping into her skin.

Inuyasha followed closely behind, so close that she could feel his body heat burning into her back. Her heart beat picked up speed in her anticipation for the gift she was about to give him, and she tried to calm it down as she placed her backpack on the floor.

"Hey Kagome, are you ok?" InuYasha's gruff voice snapped her out of the trance she had gone into when focused on her breathing. Kagome straightened and turned sharply to face him; only to jump and stumble back when he was no more than a couple inches from her.

She felt herself fall and closed her eyes; hoping that InuYasha would catch her before she hit the floor. But his arms never came, and she felt a searing pain shoot through her wrist as she landed on it; squishing it between her hip and the hard wooden flooring underneath. Kagome looked up to InuYasha who was setting his Tetsusaiga down to lean against the wall. Pain and questioning was in her eyes, but the half demon only scoffed and turned his side towards her.

"You outta have known I was right behind you, wench. Pay more attention and maybe you won't be such a klutz!"

Kagome sighed; she should have expected nothing more than that from him. He wasn't the 'knight in shining armour' kind of guy, and she was sure he never would be. But, InuYasha was always there when she needed it most, so she constantly berated herself for getting caught up on the small stuff.

Lifting herself slowly off her wrist with the support of her other hand, Kagome managed up into a kneeling position before standing on her now shaky legs. Wincing only slightly, Kagome reached out with her uninjured hand and rested it on InuYasha's arm.

"InuYasha, I had something I wanted to give you…" Kagome started to reach up with her left hand, the one she had fell on, only to find a whimper wrenching itself from her throat at the movement. After seeing a raised eyebrow from the man in front of her, clearly from annoyance, she steeled herself and tried again. When she got the same result trying to move her wrist, she sighed softly and looked up at him in apology.

"Well, wench? What was it you want to give me? Or are ya gonna just stand there and make pathetic noises all night?" InuYasha stared down his nose at her, eyes molten gold as he waited for her answer not-so-patiently.

"I'm sorry, InuYasha…I…I was going to take the beads off you tonight, but I need both hands and I cannot move my wrist for the time being. I will have to do it when my wrist has healed enough." Kagome bent her head down slightly in shame, only to have it forced back up again by his clawed hand. Ocean-blue eyes met hard gold ones, and she suddenly felt a panic go through her that she had never felt before.

"InuYasha-"

"Shut it, bitch! What did you say you were going to do? You were gonna release me, and now that your poor, pathetic hand is a little sore you are gonna make me wait? Hell no! You are gonna take these damned things off now, or I'll make sure it isn't just your hand that's hurting!"

His eyes were tinting red by the end of his rant, and Kagome felt tears well up in her eyes as she took a trembling breath and tried to speak through her pain, shock, and fear.

"I-InuYasha I...I c-can't take them o-off if I can't use m-my…wrist." She finished off on a sob, her words growing weak in her throat as she watched the tint of red turn into a full smolder of flames in InuYasha's eyes.

His claws were pricking into the sides of her jaw and her cheeks as he gripped harder. Kagome thought her jaw might break, until suddenly he let go and stared at her with a bone-chilling smirk on his lips; fangs peeking through and glinting in the light from the fire.

(~~~WARNING START~~~)

"Oh, you are gonna wish you got it right from the beginning, bitch." As he spat the last word, InuYasha clenched his fist and sent it flying into her stomach, watching with sick satisfaction as the small girl doubled over in pain and began wheezing for air. Without waiting a moment longer, he threw her up over his shoulder and began running into the forest, until he came across the place he knew she saw as a safe place; the Sacred Tree.

Having the wind knocked out of her a second time when she was thrown onto InuYasha's shoulder, Kagome could not find it in her to be able to scream as he ran deeper into the dark forest. A choked whimper escaped her lips when he dropped her to the ground, a rock digging into her backside mercilessly. She sat there, shaking and holding one arm over her head as if it might protect her from his wrath.

InuYasha sneered as he stared down his nose at her, "You pathetic wench!"

He dropped to his knees before her and gripped her wrist above her head, yanking it down and using the other hand to bring her face up to meet his. "You are going to look into my eyes, bitch, the whole fucking time! Got that?"

Kagome met his eyes with a timid nod of her head, failing to fully choke back the sob that wrenched itself from her chest. When he grabbed her swollen wrist, she automatically shut her eyes. As soon as she did so, his hand came across her cheek full force, claw marks ripping through her skin from the blow. She could instantly feel the blood dripping down her cheek, and slowly she raised her eyes to his again. One was already swelling up to the point where she could barely see him.

"There, if you don't want any more of that, I suggest you listen to what I say! Understand, now?" InuYasha growled down at her, his red tinted eyes glowing brighter as the scent of her blood reached his nose. He grinned maliciously and dragged his tongue over his fangs.

Kagome's eyes widened in realization and slowly she brought her uninjured hand up to cover her bleeding, torn cheek. "I-InuYasha please…You don't want t-to… Do this! Please, I-I _know_ you!"

InuYasha brought his hand up in the air, stopping when she shrunk into herself. He grinned triumphantly and brought his hand to her face, gently this time which startled Kagome. She watched with slight hope in her eye as he leaned downwards and placed his lips beside her ear. He blew on the soft skin under her ear before whispering, "You don't know shit about me, Ka-go-me, but by the end of this, I will make sure you know every inch; or at least, I will know every inch of _you_."

As InuYasha pulled away slowly he was delighted to see her good eye widen more as tears welled up. She started to cry out loud this time, and this only made him smile wider. He closed his eyes and listened to her stumbling and begging, imagining the sounds she would make by the end of tonight.

Kagome was shaking to the point where she could not speak without biting her tongue. She gave up all reason and started to beg him, not caring that her voice was rising higher and higher and that she might anger him by it. When she saw him close his eyes, she thought maybe he was fighting against his inner demon, and a spark of hope filled every fiber of her being. This hope was quickly torn to shreds, however, when he opened his eyes again to reveal pure crimson dotted with blue pupils.

Kagome felt her heart sink, then confusion forced its way into her mind, _'Wait, how has he turned? Shouldn't Tetsusaiga be keeping him from…Oh, no.' _She had completely forgotten; he had left Tetsusaiga back at the hut on the floor. There was now no way in hell she would get out of this alive, she was sure of it.

Without warning, in one single vicious slash of his claws, InuYasha destroyed the font of her uniform shirt. He made the same quick work of her bra, and then her skirt, until she was left shivering in only her panties and what little strips of cloth still clung to her. He was not careful in any way, leaving marks from his claws in swipes up and down her chest, waist, and legs.

Blood welled up and peaked out from these wounds, but it clearly wasn't enough for InuYasha, as he dug his claws into each of them again, retracing the path slowly and painfully. Kagome only was able to keep herself quiet for a moment, before shrieks of pain fell from her lips, followed by panting and more screams.

Satisfied at his work, InuYasha searched for another target, his eyes landing on her pale hips glistening with sweat. He dug his claws into the flesh there and flipped her roughly, causing her to land face-down in the dirt and once again crushing her injured wrist beneath her weight. Tears streamed from her eyes as Kagome realised just what was about to happen to her, and was brought out of her dread-filled thoughts when a hand came hard down upon her barely covered bottom.

InuYasha slapped her behind until her cheeks were red and covered with little cuts from his claws pricking the skin. Once he felt that was enough, for now, he leaned down and tasted the blood slowly, grinning from ear to ear when he lifted up once more.

"Oh my dear Kagome…I am going to enjoy this _immensely_. You however, well, you are going to wish you had never set foot in this time." His voice was deep, rough, and partly a growl when the words left his lips.

Leaving her with that final threat, InuYasha tore the last small, silken garment off Kagome; leaving her bare and vulnerable to his deranged gaze.

"On your hands and knees, like the bitch you are!"

Kagome shakily replied, hoping maybe that he would not kill her if she complied with his wishes. As soon as she was up, he pushed her shoulder down so that her chest was pressed down into the dirt and her ass was up in the air. She glanced behind herself quickly, only to feel her eye widen and tears well up and she instantly brought her face back down again.

He was completely naked behind her. How he did this so quickly, she didn't know, but she did know one thing; it was all over now. She felt him press into her virgin body, and a small whimper left her lips, but the sound was soon overcome by sobbing as he ripped through her.

He took her brutally, his claws ripping and poking everywhere they landed as the roamed her body; her breasts, waist, neck, back, ass, he touched everywhere. She was certain she would have scars afterwards, if there even was an afterwards. Kagome forced her mind to leave her body, her thoughts going to her mother, grandfather, brother, buyo, her friends, and finally Hojo.

Even if she made it out of this alive, he would never accept her now; and neither would any other man. She was ruined, tainted, used and cursed to be alone forever and unloved.

As that thought of eternal loneliness came to her, she felt a ripping sensation through her very soul; as if it was being torn in two by some incredible force. She realised she was breaking, and closed her eye to succumb to the feeling, only to be pulled back into reality as InuYasha yanked her hair and flipped her onto her back again.

Not having the strength to fight, Kagome let herself be consumed with the pain until she did not know how much time had passed with him above her. Suddenly the sun was in the sky, and Kagome realised that at some point InuYasha had fallen on top of her and was now sleeping soundly. When she attempted to move her sore muscles, a ferocious growl left his throat and she looked down to have blue meet crimson gazing up at her.

Now awake, InuYasha continued brutally taking her, over and over again and only leaving to relieve himself. During which times, he tied her up in twisted positions with his robes and left her on the rough ground. He took her in every way, every waking moment for the next two days until she was so exhausted and torn that she simply rag-dolled whenever he moved her.

(~~~WARNING END~~~)

Feeling certain that she would not be able to get far even if she could move, InuYasha left her to return to the village before anyone could find something suspicious. He had won control over his demon a day ago, after the beast was satisfied with his little pet. Looking like normal, no one would suspect a thing from him. If he was lucky, maybe a demon would come and eat the little bitch and he would be able to convince the old hag back at the village to take the damned beads off him in place of Kagome.

InuYasha smirked to himself as he walked. Oh yes, he would definitely take his time at the village.

An hour after InuYasha left, Kagome struggled to lift herself up into a sitting position against the God Tree, dragging her ripped clothing up with her. Breathing heavily at that little feat, Kagome pushed herself even harder to stand up, catching her balance with one hand on the trunk of the enormous tree.

'_I…I have to leave here…It doesn't matter where, but I have to not be here…When he comes back.' _Kagome kept this determination in her thoughts as she pushed herself forwards through the forest. It was roughly 5pm by where the sun was in the sky, and it would be getting dark soon; especially with the dark clouds looming so close in the distance.

~End FlashBack~

Just as she expected, Kagome had felt a cool wind followed by the first few drops of rain only an hour more after she took off.

Now here she was, soaked and still stumbling through the trees and bushes with barely enough energy to keep her breathing steady. Feeling her foot get caught in something, she simply let herself fall to the hard, wet ground. With not enough stamina to force herself up again, Kagome slowly curled up into a ball next to a tree and whimpered softly to herself while her body shook in the cold. Cradling her hand to her chest, she just lay there waiting for death to come quickly.

She felt her prayer had been answered when suddenly a shadow fell over her. Looking up only confirmed this thought as she saw the mighty Lord Sesshomaru standing over her; his clothes soaked through almost as much as hers. She pushed herself up with her good hand, cradling the other to midsection gently. Once up on her knees she sat back on her heels and bowed her head low, hoping he would make just one quick blow to end it all.

It seemed to take forever for him to move, when suddenly she felt his claws on her chin. An image of claws ripping into her skin flashed through her mind and she made a soft sound, before letting her head tilt up to his. She felt no emotion, no connection to life as he stared at her. He studied her for a long moment, and during that time Kagome just begged silently for him to finish her off instead of prolonging her pain. If only she could find her voice.

When Sesshomaru suddenly stood, Kagome felt her heart pound once then sink into her toes. She bowed her head again and closed her eye. _'This is it…It's over, I am dead, I...' _Her thoughts stopped suddenly as she felt the weight of wet silk settle upon her shoulders. His hands appeared in her vision as she watched him tie the haori around her waist with his obi, mesmerized by his claws glistening with each movement.

All of a sudden, Kagome found herself lifted up into the demon lord's arms and with a soft breath she simply accepted whatever fate met her now and huddled closer to him, his body heat sinking into her.

'_Whatever he does with me is ultimately better than what InuYasha had planned…I hope.' _Was Kagome's last thought as she felt herself being rushed through the wind and rain in the strong arms of the brutish Lord Sesshomaru.

**Oh God guys, done this chapter for you. Now that life has calmed down a bit, I hope to get the next chapter out to you soon. In the meantime, tell me what you think! **

**Until Next Time,**

**Silver**


	3. Chapter 3

**I tried to get this one out sooner and failed, yet again, due to school work.**

**Some of you might be confused about InuYasha, and I figured after I wrote it that this might happen, don't worry; I will give an adequate explanation in the story. Also thank you to all who have reviewed, favorited, followed, and to all who plan to do so in the future.**

**-Silver**

_**I do not own InuYasha or any of the characters used. I make no profit from this story, only feels.**_

**BOLD = Beast**

'_ITALICS '= Thoughts_

Falling Rain Chapter Three

After a long hour and a half of running, Sesshomaru could finally see his castle in the distance. He glanced down at the little miko in his arms and heaved a soft mental sigh; she still had not moved an inch from her spot curled up into his chest, but every so often he felt a warm wetness on his neck through his collar, and knew she was once again crying.

He knew who had done this to her, she was covered in his filthy half-brothers scent. How much the wretch had done to her, well that was something he meant to find out, after she was well rested and healed of course. Sesshomaru was no idiot; he knew that the girl would be traumatized from the torture on her body. If he wanted her to talk, then he would first need her trust.

Sesshomaru stopped himself there. _'Her trust? Why would I need her trust, when I can just force her to tell me everything?'_

'**You cannot make her speak that way; the miko you knew is long gone. She no longer has the spark in her soul to be able to stand up to you. Catering to her needs is the only way.'**

'_Hn. We shall see.'_

This was something that had been bothering Sesshomaru for months; his beast spoke freely now instead of being locked away in his mental cage. And no matter how hard Sesshomaru had tried to push him back in, the beast would not budge. After a while Sesshomaru simply accepted this new fate and moved on, the beast only spoke when the conversation was of a certain miko, anyways.

Reaching the gates of his castle, Sesshomaru slowed to a brisk walk and nodded to the guard on duty who nodded back without so much as a glance to the small girl in his Lord's arms.

Sesshomaru proceeded into the castle, and stood in the middle of the lobby while a maid rushed over to his side.

"Welcome back, Milord. You had a successful trip, I presume?"

Sesshomaru glanced down at the girl in his arms then back to the maid. "Hn. You could say that. Where is Takara?"

The maid seemed to think for a moment, "I believe she is in the gardens, Milord, watching over young Rin-sama while she takes her lessons."

"Go to her and tell her to come meet me in the infirmary at once. There is a very important task I must speak with her about."

With the nod of the maid's head, Sesshomaru took off towards the infirmary in the eastern wing of the castle. Not bothering to knock, he simply shouldered his way through the heavy wooden doors and moved until he was in the middle of the large room. A couple feet before him was a large wooden desk, the man sitting behind it staring at the sudden guest with one eyebrow raised and amusement sparkling within deep violet eyes.

"Well well, my Lord. I would never have expected _you_ of all people to suddenly barge into my infirmary. To what do I owe this great pleasure?" The violet eyes swivelled to the human girl in his Lord's arms.

"Ah, would it have something to do with that child in your arms?"

Sesshomaru growled lowly. "This one knows you can smell the blood on her, do not play a fool in these times of urgency, Daisuke. This girl is in need of your skills."

The one called Daisuke laughed and rose from his chair, his jet black braid swishing behind his back. "Oh come now, Lord Sesshomaru, you know I only jest. I can indeed smell the blood on her, but I can also smell her power. Is she not a powerful miko? Can she not heal herself in time?"

Sesshomaru shook his head slowly, catching the attention and curious look from the healer. "She has experienced such torture upon her body and emotions, that her mind has shut down and so have the powers that would, in times like this, rise up and heal her wounds. She has come to want it to end; her body is close to giving out."

Daisuke's smile faded and his eyes hardened quickly. Moving out from behind his desk, he quickly instructed Sesshomaru to place the girl on one of the cots closest to his supplies. Sesshomaru gently placed the frail girl on the white sheets of the cot, noting her even breaths and limp posture.

'_Ah, she has fallen asleep again. Good, this makes it easier me to have a discussion with Takara._' Just as that thought crossed Sesshomaru's mind, there was a knock on the door before a head sporting bright green eyes and soft orange hair poked through. Sesshomaru nodded to this person before sharing a look with Daisuke and leaving the infirmary.

Daisuke watched his lord go before looking down at the little woman on the cot beside him. He very carefully removed the blood-stained haori and what was left of the cloth that he guessed had once been her clothing. When the full extent of her wounds met his eyes, he tsked and shook his head, eyes softening with pity as he stroked back the bangs clinging to the girl's face.

"Oh my dear girl, what on earth have you been through?" A quiet whimper was his only response and he quickly set out on cleaning and wrapping the wounds throughout her body.

Sesshomaru closed the door to the infirmary and turned to the demoness behind him. Her stance was strong and straight, eyes solid with unwavering loyalty and her hair pulled back tightly into a braid that she had curled up into a bun atop her head. A few tendrils had snuck free and fell around her face, but she seemed to pay them no mind.

"Takara, I have a task which I would like you to accept."

"Certainly my Lord, I live to serve you. What is this task, so that I may start right away?" Her voice was much like his own, soft and unemotional, but with the higher feminine appeal to it.

"Inside that infirmary is a human girl, a miko, and she is greatly injured both physically and emotionally. You are to accompany her everywhere she goes unless I tell you otherwise; you are to try to help her emotions heal. Protect her and report to me at once should anything major occur in her health, physically or emotionally."

Takara stared at her lord a moment, taking in his words carefully. When she was satisfied with what she heard, she bowed her head slightly, though her eyes still held Sesshomaru's.

"As you wish, Lord Sesshomaru. Where will the girl be staying?"

Sesshomaru turned his eyes to the floor and pondered to himself a moment, then met Takara's eyes once more. "She will be staying in the upper western wing, in the room beside Rin's." This room was also just down the hall from his own, securing him a spot near her at all times.

Takara bowed low at the waist, then turned and took off to alert the maids of the room that needed to be prepared. Once she was gone, Sesshomaru stood for a moment by himself, thinking of a certain little miko that would no doubt be awake and thoroughly confused any time now.

Just as that thought came to mind, a raspy scream was heard in the room he currently stood beside. Without a second thought, Sesshomaru rushed in through the doors.

"What happened?"

As Daisuke finished wrapping the young girls' ankle, a small pained sigh escaped his patient's lips. He looked up, noting she was still asleep, and looked over his now completed work. As his eyes moved, he noticed a scar on her side, one that was jagged and obviously healed over for some time now. The mark almost resembled a large set of teeth, like flesh had been ruthlessly bitten out of her. Daisuke let his fingertips touch the scar lightly, finding the skin to be tough but just as soft as the rest.

Suddenly he heard a sharp gasp, and heard the small faint heartbeat of the girl turn into a rhythm of surprise and terror. Daisuke straightened himself and stared down at the now shaking human girl; her one good eye widened enormously. Before he could open his mouth to calm the young girl, she screamed and attempted to sit up, only to whimper and flop back down.

"Dear girl you mustn't—"

Once again the healer was interrupted as the doors burst open to reveal none other than Sesshomaru.

"What has happened?"

Daisuke clicked his tongue and gestured to the girl on the cot. "The girl awoke and was startled by my presence, Lord Sesshomaru. She has caused herself pain by attempting to move too fast."

Sesshomaru walked over to the cot and gazed down at the young miko who looked not only afraid, but petrified. He leaned down and ran a single clawed finger over her less injured cheek, and spoke softly. "Girl, you have no need to fear me. Do you not remember who carried you here? If This One wanted you dead; you would have been quite some time ago."

Kagome had flinched and shut her eye when Sesshomaru had reached out to her, but as his words sank in, she slowly relaxed and looked up at him once again, forcing her heart to calm.

As he watched her relax under his touch, Sesshomaru felt a sudden sense of relief that caused him to stop short. What had he been afraid of; that she would run away in horror, or hate him for saving her life? What a foolish thought, the girl was simply not that stupid.

Sesshomaru watched as Kagome opened her mouth to say something, though she closed it quickly after only a raspy breath escaped. After clearing her throat a little, she tried again.

"Where am I, Sesshomaru?" Her voice was as weak as her body.

Before Sesshomaru could respond, Daisuke chimed in for him. "You are in Lord Sesshomaru castle, my dear girl. Welcome to the Palace of the West."

Kagome's eye widened as much as it could, and she looked back and forth between the two demons slowly. "I'm in…A castle? _Sesshomaru's_ castle?"

Both demons nodded, one with a smirk and the other with the usual blank expression. Daisuke looked to his lord and bowed slightly.

"My Lord, since the girl does not seem to need my immediate care anymore, I will be retiring for the day." With Sesshomaru's nod, Daisuke turned and left the room with the door clicking softly behind him. His absence left Sesshomaru and Kagome staring at each other somewhat awkwardly.

"This One has had a room prepared for you. Do you wish to see it?"

Kagome hesitated a moment then nodded weakly and before she could blink, she was once more lifted into the demon's arms; clad in only the bandages and white bed sheet that was now wrapped up tightly around her body. Looking up at his emotionless face, Kagome decided it didn't matter; after all, someone as beautiful as him would never find a dirty, human girl like her attractive. Even if he did, he would never bring himself to actually touch her like that, because she was used; ruined for all other men. He was only going to let her stay her while she healed so he could either torture her or let her go out into the wilderness by herself once more.

Sesshomaru glanced down at the female in his arms and frowned slightly at the waves of depression and self-pity coming off her. Perhaps this was going to be harder than he had first expected.

Finally reaching the western wing, Sesshomaru came to a stop in front of Takara who was awaiting him in the hall.

"Everything is in place I assume?"

Takara bowed her head low, "Yes My Lord, everything was finished moments ago. The maids worked very well." After seeing her Lord's nod of approval, Takara excused herself quietly and left the hall. Once the demoness was gone, Sesshomaru looked to the miko once again only to find her dazed off in her own world.

"Miko…"

Kagome slowly snapped out of her stupor a looked up to meet Sesshomaru's gaze with her own. "Yes?"

"Are you ready to see your chambers?"

She stared at him for a moment, still dazed, before quickly snapping out of her confusion and nodding. "Yes, I am sorry. I was distracted by my thoughts."

Sesshomaru stared a moment longer before moving to stand in front of one of the many large wooden doors in the hall. This one was adorned with a large carved dog howling up into the sky, wispy clouds delicately carved in to accompany the giant creature. The massive door was pushed open and Sesshomaru stepped inside to reveal to her the most beautiful room she had ever seen.

The flooring was a deep brown wood, smoothed down until it shined like polished stone. The walls were a wondrous shade of blue; bright enough to bring happiness but yet soft enough for the eyes on early mornings. There was a set of glass doors to the left of the back wall, with curtains that were a slightly lighter shade of blue hanging elegantly down to just barely touch the floor. The fabric was pulled to the sides to show a balcony outside.

In the middle of the room was a rather large bed, with what must have been at least 8 fluffy pillows laying perfectly at the head board. The pillows were a dark blue and the comforter that covered the bed was a light silvery color. At the end of the bed on the floor was a wooden trunk, covered in delicate carvings just like the door.

To the right side of the room was a large fireplace, already lit and casting a gentle glow about the room, while some larger sitting pillows lay on the floor a safe distance away from the flames. Here and there on the walls were paintings, ranging from landscapes to portraits, and each one just a beautiful as the next.

Sesshomaru felt his chest swell with pride as he watched the young woman gaze around the room with an awed expression.

"I take it that you enjoy your accommodations?"

Kagome turned her head from staring at the room to stare at Sesshomaru's eyes instead.

"Well yes, of course I love it but I really do not deserve this!"

Sesshomaru let a small scoff escape his lips and he walked further into the room, pulling back the heavy comforter on the bed before gently laying the miko down and bringing the cover up once more.

"Nonsense, you are a guest of this Sesshomaru and I will not have you stay in anything but the best. Now," Sesshomaru cut her off before she could start refusing again, "I do believe we have more important matters to discuss."

At Kagome's suddenly guarded look, Sesshomaru inwardly sighed. This was not going to go well, but he had to know what he was dealing with. Seeing the girl already mentally retreating as she came to understand what he was going to ask, Sesshomaru did the only thing he knew would snap her attention back to him. He leaned forwards, and brought one hand up to gently run down her cheek. Mindful of his claws, he tipped her chin up so that blue met gold. Leaning forwards slowly so as not to startle her, the mighty demon lord placed a soft kiss upon the young miko's lips, pulling back just as slow.

"Kagome, what has my witless half-brother done to you?"


	4. Chapter 4

**If I don't get the next chapter out by next week, then Happy Easter, if you celebrate it, and if not then happy random day to you! :) **

**-Silver**

_**I do not own InuYasha or any of the characters used. I make no profit from this story, only feels.**_

**BOLD = Beast**

'_ITALICS '= Thoughts_

Falling Rain Chapter Four

Kagome stared up at the demon lord, completely taken aback by his actions. Her hand came up to touch her lips lightly.

"S-Sesshomaru?"

Sesshomaru shook his head, her chin still held gently in between his fingertips.

"Miko, answer the question."

He could see the hesitation in her eyes, and for a moment he thought she would close herself off from him again. As he expected, her gaze moved down in shame to stare at the silken sheet of the bed.

"I would rather not talk about it…"

"Miko, you will tell me."

Kagome's breath started to come in shaky but slow sighs.

"Please-"

"Kagome," He said her name with a certain finality that made her raise her gaze to look at him once more, "I must know what happened."

He could see the initial surprise from his use of her name fade away into a certain hopeless look within her deep blue eye.

"Sesshomaru, you hate humans. You hate _me_! Why do you suddenly want to know about my well-being?"

Sesshomaru was quiet for a while, and Kagome was deciding that he would not answer when suddenly a very uncharacteristic sigh left his lips. His clawed hand came away from her face to run through his silver locks slowly.

"I do not know why, Miko. All I know is that while I do not care, at the same time I very much do."

Blue stared into gold, analyzing his response, before Kagome sighed, defeated.

"Fine, but please do not interrupt. I don't know if I would be able to start again once I stopped."

The demon lord bowed his head slightly, one hand coming to rest over his heart. "You have This One's word."

With another pause of hesitation, Kagome began recalling the events of what had happened. She had to stop and explain the well to him, and how she was from the future, but surprisingly he did not seem too surprised. When asked, he said that he had simply known something was different with her. She told him of her plans to surprise InuYasha, and how the others had left the village to give her the space to act out her plan.

When she came to the part where she reached the hut, her eyes began to water. Sesshomaru had to resist the urge to pull her to him with every fibre of his being. When she told him of how his brother had set down Tetsusaiga, he instantly knew what had gone wrong. From the look on her face, she knew it too.

He listened with a rage boiling in his stomach as she retold of how she had fallen, obviously damaging her wrist, and yet the whelp did nothing to help her. By the time she was done telling him of what had happened, she was in tears and he was fighting his beast; that was desperate to escape the confines of Sesshomaru's mind to find and torture the half-breed. He had to take quite a few slow breaths in order to calm down.

"So, the pathetic half-breed was enraged by you not being able to remove the rosary, and because Tetsusaiga was not at his side his inner beast took over. He knocked the air out of you and by the time he was on your person it was too late to use the rosary against him."

Kagome nodded, tears still streaking down her face. "Yes, because he would have crushed me. I…I didn't want to die, Sesshomaru."

Said demon moved to sit close beside her on the edge of the bed, one clawed fingertip wiping the streaks of tears from her cheeks. "This One knows that, miko. You are not judged for your instinct for survival, or for anything else that the whelp has brought upon you."

Kagome stared up at Sesshomaru and quirked an eyebrow up in question. "Sesshomaru, why do you keep switching between 'this one' and speaking first person?"

Kagome had thought the question was innocent enough, but suddenly she saw something that almost made even her injured eye go wide. There, sitting very lightly on the very top of Sesshomaru's regal cheekbones was a blush. It was very small and very faint, and as soon as it had appeared, it was gone. Had he _really_ been embarrassed, and she _really_ been the one to cause it?

"I am accustomed to speaking that way in court and in front of other Lords. It comes naturally to me, however when speaking to you for some reason I switch to a more familiar way to referring to myself. I thought it fine since we _were_ allies against the vile Naraku."

Kagome almost laughed at how fast Sesshomaru was trying to explain himself. She was also amazed at how much he was saying to her, he usually only said what was barely necessary.

Sesshomaru was far from laughing, however. He had just embarrassed himself and then made it worse by rambling on unnecessarily! At the moment all he could manage to think of was crawling up under the silken sheets of his own bed so that he wouldn't have to face the miko.

'**You are not paying attention. Look at the girl.'**

'_Hn. What do you want?'_

'**Again, you are not paying attention. While you sit and dread, the girl is laughing.'**

'_Yes, I can see that. She has good reason to, I acted a fool.'_

'**No, she does not laugh at you. She is enjoying your company. With this progress she will soon be ours.'**

Sesshomaru's eyes widened slightly and then his brows furrowed together roughly. His eyes flashed with a sharp annoyance.

'_Of what nonsense do you speak, beast?'_

'**Come now, you cannot lie to me; for I am you. We are one in the same, sharing our goals, thoughts and **_**desires**_**.'**

'_That is no desire of mine. The miko is an ally, nothing more.'_

'**Oh? Then, do you dream of bedding **_**all**_** of your allies? Surely not every ally has the legs that you so frequently think of?'**

'…_This discussion is over.'_

'**Indeed—wait!'**

Kagome had stopped laughing a few minutes ago, and instead now stared at the demon lord sitting beside her. She watched as his face changed in thought, and then felt her own brows furrow to match his when his aura spiked with frustration. Seeing his obvious distress, Kagome reached out with her good hand and laid it gently on his arm; only to be suddenly pushed back onto the bed and be straddled by Sesshomaru himself.

His eyes were tinted red for a moment, and he growled down at her with a snarl on his lips. His silver locks pooled down around her face and shoulders and left her being able to see nothing but his face. Tears filled her eye and spilled over as she gazed up at him in fear. Slowly the red left his eyes and he let go of her arms, his own eyes widening.

"K-Kagome…" Sesshomaru immediately got off of her, and she swore she saw his hand shake ever so lightly. "Kagome I am so deeply sorry. I would never hurt you I swear on my honour as a demon I—"

Kagome shushed him and sat up slowly, a weak smile sitting on her face. He wanted to kiss the lie off her lips and give her a reason to really smile.

"Sesshomaru, really it's fine. It was really my own fault; I guess that is what I get for surprising a demon, huh?"

Sesshomaru stared at her before standing abruptly. He walked over towards the door, one hand on the handle as he turned to glance over his shoulder at her.

"I believe it is time for you to sleep, Miko. If you need anything my servants will attend you. Goodnight."

Before Kagome could even process what had just happened, the demon lord was out the door; leaving her by herself for the night.

"What…Just happened?" Kagome reached up and touched her cheek where some of his hair had tickled her skin, only to drop her hand back down again quickly. With a sigh, she laid back and pulled the covers up to her chin, reaching one hand out to put out the candle that was on a nightstand beside her. With the moonlight peeking through the curtains and the fire warming the room, it wasn't long before Kagome fell into the depths of sleep; a frown still marring her mouth slightly.

~Elsewhere in the Castle~

Sesshomaru paced back and forth in his study, a low rumbling growl ever-constant in his throat.

'_Never again. This One shall never again come that close to harming her. She fears us now; did you see the way she was shaking?'_

'**She was merely scared by the moment, not of you entirely. If you wish to ease he fears return to her and explain yourself. Show her that you will never hurt her as the half-breed did. Because of your sudden departure, she most definitely believes she did something wrong.'**

'_What? Of course she has done nothing wrong! It was us who became unaware of our surroundings! She has no part in the blame.'_

'**Yes, but did you assure her of that before you suddenly stormed out?'**

Sesshomaru never responded, instead he was fighting another battle of if he should return or not. He had left her there without explaining, instead making a run for it like a tiny pup running to hide behind his mother's skirts. That last thought hardened his resolve and he made his way back out into the hall to the door of her chambers.

After listening a moment, Sesshomaru sighed. Her breathing was even in the other room, meaning she had retired for the night and was deep asleep. Head hanging slightly, he made his way back to his study and plopped himself down in the large plush chair behind his desk. He leaned forwards and placed his forehead in his hands, this study and his chambers being the only places he could truly unwind and forget about being a lord for a moment. Slowly the events of the day ran through his mind.

He had saved her, brought her to his home and given her to his best healer for her wounds. He had given her a room in the very wing where his own chambers lay; the wing meant only for family and honoured guests. Then he had stammered and rambled like a pup in front of her, and apologized for his way of speaking! How could she be affecting him so much; a mere human girl?

With a heavy sigh leaving his lips, Sesshomaru slouched forward deeper into his hands for a moment, then stood up and went to his own chambers through the connecting door on the left side of the room. Knowing he would not be able to sleep for a while, Sesshomaru went into his private hot springs and relaxed in the steaming waters.

After washing his hair, which took quite a while, with his special soaps from overseas he quickly rinsed and leaned back against the rock edge of the bath. He closed his eyes and let yet another deep sigh escape his lips; a certain miko once again plaguing his thoughts.

What was he going to do?

**Well there you are, Lovelies; a chapter out quickly for once. I also did up a quick one-shot, you should check it out if you haven't already! It's called Hope After All, and of course it features our favourite couple! Thank you again for all who decided to R&R! :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Aaaand we're back! Sorry about the delay! Hope you all had a great couple months, I myself just graduated so I have lots of time for the story now. Thank you to all who follow and favorite the story, it means a lot to me.**

**-Silver**

_**I do not own InuYasha or any of the characters used. I make no profit from this story, only feels.**_

**BOLD = Beast**

'_ITALICS '= Thoughts_

Falling Rain

Chapter Five

Kagome had woken up that morning to find Takara waiting just inside her bedroom door, staring intently at her.

"Morning, Milady. I have drawn your bath and your breakfast is being prepared for after you finish."

Kagome's jaw slackened a little before she nodded her head slightly. Before she could actually say anything Takara was out the door, the soft click of the door shutting sounding loud in the silent room.

Sitting up as best she could with one arm, Kagome heaved herself up out of the massive bed and moved to follow the mysterious demoness; limping all the way. However on her way to the door, she passed a large mirror which caught her eye. Kagome paused, debating whether to dare to look or not. Of course, her stubborn curiosity got the better of her and so she slowly made her way over to her reflection.

At the first peak she got, Kagome gasped and brought her hand to her mouth. She looked, well, _horrible_. She could barely recognise herself; her one eye swollen and a horrid shade of purple-ish-black, cuts and bruises scattering across her face and down her neck. She felt her wrist throb and glanced down at it, eyebrows knitting together in confusion as she saw only minimal swelling there.

"I thought my wrist was broken…?"

"My Lord had you sent to Daisuke; the greatest healer in the western lands. His talents are beyond comprehension at times; it is best to not question the 'how' of his methods."

Kagome had spoken the words softly to herself, not expecting an answer and so she started a bit when she heard the other voice behind her. She turned quickly to see the demoness from moments ago standing impatiently in the doorframe.

"Milady, your bath is waiting and cools every minute we waste dawdling about."

Kagome nodded and made her way over to Takara silently, feeling a bit intimidated by her towering figure.

"Sorry, it was the first I have seen myself since…Well, anyways, please call me Kagome; none of that 'Milady' stuff."

Takara resisted the urge to roll her eyes and simply turned and left the room, not having to look back to know the human girl was following.

"Nonsense. I follow the order of Lord Sesshomaru, and he states you are to be addressed as his guest. To disregard such an order is to be sentenced to death. The faster you learn his place above you, the easier it will be for you here_, Milady_." Takara managed a small wink back at the girl.

Kagome could not find any words to respond to the blunt teasing in the woman's words, and so she simply sighed softly and looked to her feet as she watched the tiles pass beneath her feet while she followed. She frowned at the looks she got from servants passing in the hall; it made her feel like the limp in her step was all the more obvious.

She was led into a small room with a surprisingly modern-day looking tub, steam rising up out of the water within. Takara showed her the soaps and shampoos left for her to use, then excused herself from the room. Kagome un-wrapped the thin sheet from around her body, only then realising she had been with no night clothes all morning and when she had slept.

Attempting to keep her blush at bay, Kagome slipped into the bath and poured some lavender scented oils into the water.

After washing her hair and body, which was very hard to do while injured, she leaned back against the tub and closed her eyes. Her mind traveled from one thought to another, her family, friends; both from the present time and future. She thought about Sesshomaru and the idea of staying in his castle, and then finally she allowed herself to relive the past couple days with InuYasha and all he had done. It made no sense; why would he do this to her?

"Milady, you will get wrinkles."

The voice snapped Kagome out of her thoughts, and she turned to look back at Takara with a small smile.

"If you think like that, you would be horrified by the amount of time I usually spend in the bath at home."

The demoness merely grinned in response and walked closer, holding a large fluffy towel in front of her. Kagome, with the help of her companion, got out of the tub and into the towel, and then was led to sit in a conjoining room which she could only explain as a closet that would match a Queen. It was large, warm and open even while holding an enormous amount of clothes, shoes and various other trinkets.

She was instructed to sit on one of the many large cushions placed around the room and once she did, Takara set to work on her hair.

"Uhm, excuse me, Takara-sama..?"

"No Milady, I have no such title. Just Takara, Milady."

Kagome rolled her eyes, wincing when it pulled a little at the muscles around one. "I will call you _just _Takara when you call me _just _Kagome."

In the mirror in front of her, Kagome could see the demoness smirk a little at the corner of her lips. "Very well, but you must speak to Sesshomaru about it first. I will not take the fall for a human girl's whims."

Kagome let out her first real smile in days, it ached at her bruises and cuts but that did not stop her. "Very well," she started, mocking her current guardian. "When will I be able to speak with Sesshomaru-Sama?"

Takara tugged a bit at Kagome's hair to get her to sit still. "As soon as you let me finish your hair and makeup, you will be having breakfast in the gardens with My Lord. Though with how long you are taking it will be more of a lunch by then."

Taking the hint, Kagome sat quietly and let herself be soothed by the feeling of Takara's claws moving and manipulating her hair. Right now she was safe; and that was all that mattered.

**~~~Meanwhile~~~**

Sesshomaru paced about his gardens, flicking his hair away irritably each time it flowed over his shoulder.

'_What should I say? Will she even want to be here? What if she does not forgive me?'_

'**She likes you, feels safe with you. You will see.'**

'_She may have felt safe before, but after last night she might very well see me like she sees my brother.'_

'**If she saw your brother in you, would she have slept so peacefully?'**

Sesshomaru stopped beside the table he had the maids prepare for their breakfast, quickly glancing towards the castle then moving into a slower pace around the grounds.

'…_.I suppose not.'_

'**Indeed. Straighten, she comes.'**

Sesshomaru turned just as his beast spoke the words; hearing the door to the garden open and close from the castle. He stood beside the chair he meant to offer to her, before bringing up his mask and steeling his thoughts. Looking up, his entire body froze.

Kagome.

She was beautiful; hair half piled up on her head and the other half draping around her neck elegantly. She wore a sapphire-blue kimono with silver and baby-blue trimmings and small glistening jewels weaving a pattern of waves about the bottom of the fabric. It hugged her frame perfectly while still leaving enough room to make a man curious and want to question the curves beneath.

As she got closer it took all he had not to take a rather large intake of breath. He noticed small flower pins placed throughout her raven locks; adding a young and free feeling to her outward appearance.

It was her face, though, that made him want to stare for eternity; her skin was left untouched apart from small touch-ups over bruises and cuts. Her eyes were lightly outlined with a rich black coal, making the blue depths pop even more. A light red paint was on her lips, only a shade darker than her original color. All in all she was, well, perfect.

Sesshomaru was snapped out of his trance by Kagome's soft greeting as she stopped a few feet in front of his person. With one glance at the smirking Takara and a mental note to appraise her for her work later, he sent her off and returned his glance to the exquisite human in front of him.

"Good morning, Miko. I trust you slept well?"

Kagome nodded with a small smile of appreciation on her lips as he moved her chair out, waiting for her to sit before pushing it to a comfortable distance in front of the table. He sat opposite of her, golden eyes solid and staring straight into her own. For a moment she saw a small hesitance in his gaze, but it quickly vanished.

"This one wishes to apologise for last night, it was completely out of line for such a snap in control; especially considering your current state."

Kagome watched Sesshomaru closely as he spoke, noting the small nervous movements of his eyes. She had never noticed before; he was so expressive if you knew what to look for. He clearly felt quilty, and that thought brought a frown to her lips.

"Lord Sesshomaru, please. I understand what you are, but more importantly I know _who _you are. I know that you are not a ma-err-demon to betray or hurt a _friend._"

She gave him a soft reassuring smile at the last word; trying to remind him of their conversation the night before.

"And speaking of friends, My Lord, did you not say that you spoke to me the way you did because we were so?"

Sesshomaru found himself without words for a moment; she did that a lot to him. Though quickly he recovered and nodded once. "Yes, I suppose I did say that. However I thought you may think differently after how I acted last night. I am truly sorry, Kagome. You are a guest in my home and under my protection, and yet I nearly endangered you myself last night."

Once again surprised by how much Sesshomaru was speaking, Kagome merely kept smiling and, with her good hand, leaned forwards and placed a light touch on his arm. When he did not move to kill her, which would have happened to anyone else she was sure of it, she rested her hand more comfortably in its place.

"Sesshomaru-sama, you have nothing to be sorry for. With how long I have been traveling back a forth, I should have known better than to startle a strong demon such as yourself. Besides, I doubt I was truly in that much danger. While you are a demon I doubt you let that control you; especially to the point of hurting an ally. You are a strong man; much like your father yet nothing like your brother."

Sesshomaru stared at the female before him. She was touching him; something he maimed and tortured others for even coming close to doing. Yet with her he felt at peace; even enough to say he enjoyed the touch. And as if she could read minds, she dismissed his fear of her associating him with his brother in an instant.

"Thank you, Kagome."

She tilted her head to the side questioningly. "For what, Lord Sesshomaru?"

Sesshomaru allowed a small, very small, smile to come to his lips briefly. "For your light."

Before Kagome could ask what Sesshomaru had meant, food was brought out and the two began to eat silently; both contemplating the person opposite them. Kagome was halfway done her meal of fruit, bread and juice when she noticed something.

"Sesshomaru-sama, where is Rin?"

He noticed she had a bit of worry on her face and instantly felt the need to reassure her. "Do not worry; she will be eating in her room today. She has studies but when she is finished she will come find you I guarantee it."

Kagome nodded and was about to start eating again when she noticed a pause in Sesshomaru's movements. Taking it as a sign he wanted to say something, she waited patiently for him to speak.

"There is another reason she will not be joining us; I had something I wished to speak to you about in private."

Kagome felt a little anxious as she waited for whatever he deemed so important to have to say in private. As he put his utensils down and leaned forward slightly, she did the same out of reflex. She could feel his breath on her face and smell his masculine scent, pine needles and rainwater; mouth-watering really. Though with his next words none of that mattered or even existed, and he had her full attention.

"Miko, I believe I know what has happened, and is happening, to my brother."

**Well Lovelies, there it is. Again, so so sorry for my absence the past couple months. Now that I have free time however, I can promise more timely updates. Next chapter will cover what is happening with InuYasha, part of my absence was deciding where to go with this story but now I have it. See you all soon! **

**-Silver**


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